


You're More Than You Seem

by Very_Anxious_Bean



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders-centric, Comfort, Crying, Deceit Sanders-centric, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fight or Flight Reflex, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Panic Attacks, Mentioned Logic | Logan Sanders, Morality | Patton Sanders is a Sweetheart, Seeing the Best in People, Self Preservation, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Some angst, headcanons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-24 22:30:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20022073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Very_Anxious_Bean/pseuds/Very_Anxious_Bean
Summary: Virgil isn't having a good day and Patton's there for him. Patton tries to comforts Deceit, even if they're not the closest.





	1. You're More Than Anxiety

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings in tags!

No one had heard from Virgil the whole day. The anxious Side had stayed in his room and refused to come out, even though the others had checked on him. He crept out of his room at three in the morning, though he wasn't expecting to see Patton in the kitchen. 

"Hey there, kiddo," Patton said softly. He closed his book and set it on the counter.

Virgil looked at the floor, letting his bangs cover most of his face, and was tempted to go back to his room. He didn't look his best, he wasn't wearing makeup or his usual outfit. He was wearing his hoodie, as usual, with black sweatpants. 

"We didn't see you all day."

"Sorry," Virgil mumbled as he fiddled with his sleeves. 

"Kiddo, you have nothing to apologise for." Patton , "Do you wanna talk about it? If you don't, that's fine, I-"

"Anxiety sucks." 

"Virgie, I'm going to physically fight you if you insult yourself again." 

Virgil shuffled back a bit and gave a small smile, "I- I wasn't just insulting myself. 'Cause, y'know, I'm not _just_ anxiety. I have it, too." 

"I know, kiddo. Do you... want to talk about it or no?"

Virgil sighed and sat on the counter. "Sure. As long as you don't yell at me." 

Patton frowned, "I'd never yell at you." 

"I know," Virgil tucked his knees into his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs. He rested his chin on his knees, staring at a picture Patton hung up on the wall. It was of all of them together at Christmas. "It's just that-" he sighed- "I'm just Anxiety."

"No, you're not. You're Virgil-" Patton hopped onto the counter next to Virgil- "and you've done so many things that has helped Thomas, _and_ us."

"But all I do is have a panic attack, or make you guys miserable. I know that Roman gets frustrated with me and Logan does, too. You could just be pretending to care about me and you all could be getting rid of me soon or- or-" Virgil cut off into a sob. 

"Virgil, no! We'd never get rid of you, or force you to go away. Can I hug you?" Patton asked. He wrapped his arms around Virgil when he nodded and he held him tightly, but not enough for it to be suffocating. "You're my kiddo, and I'll never let you go."

"You did when we were younger."

Patton paused at that. "And I regret it every day, I shouldn't have agreed with Logan. It was a mistake." 

"But you'd do it again," Virgil choked out. 

"No. No, I'd refuse," Patton held onto Virgil a bit tighter, "I'm not letting you go again." 

Virgil shook his head and his body started shaking. "I- I'm just Anxiety, I don't do anything! I'll make Thomas panic, or myself, and I'll shoot down Roman's ideas. I ignore Logan at times, even if he's trying to comfort me, and- and I frustrate you." 

"You're focusing on the bad, buddy. You've also helped all of us many times, and you've gotten Thomas out of danger. You help us when _we_ panic, and you're so caring. You'll do anything to make sure we're safe and sound." 

Virgil scooted closer to Patton, burying his face in Patton's neck. 

Patton ran his hand through Virgil's hair, "You've explained many things to Logan when he didn't understand and you were able to pry him away from his work. Yes, you shoot down some of Roman's ideas, but you help him with them too. You're almost always the one to help him whenever he's in a tight situation in a quest, and you've helped him with his injuries after one, too." 

Virgil shrugged. Patton could feel that his tears were slowing down and he wasn't shaking as much. Virgil was slowly relaxing and Patton never stopped running his fingers through his hair. 

"You help me bake and with a million other things. You've gotten Thomas out of a ton of deadly situations and always keep him aware of things that could be dangerous." 

"I'm just Anxiety, though," Virgil murmured again. 

"No. You're Anxiety, but not _just_ Anxiety. You're Thomas' fight or flight reflex. If you weren't here, Thomas would have a lot of scars from simple things like... like getting hit by a computer!" 

That got a small chuckle from Virgil. "Yeah, I guess you're right." 

"Aw," Patton ruffled Virgil's hair as he pulled away. "Well, I am right! I'd never lie to you kiddos!"

Virgil glanced at Patton, eyes skeptic (at the statement), and then he saw Patton's book. " _Coraline_? I didn't think you'd read that."

"Oh, it's a really good book. It's only my third time reading it, though." Patton chuckled, picking up the book. 

"Could we- could we go to the couch and read it together?" Virgil asked slowly. 

Patton grinned, "Of course." 

The two got down from the counter and went to the couch. Patton sat down, letting Virgil lay on him, and read the book out loud until Virgil was asleep.


	2. You're Not Only Deception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Deceit's talking, his lies are in italics. If it's Patton talking, they're not lies. Also, I have a small headcanon that Deceit is also some, if not all, of Thomas' self preservation.

It was currently noon, and the Sides aside for Patton were somewhere. Roman was on another quest, and Virgil and Logan were in their rooms.

Patton was baking cookies when he heard a quiet sound from the living room. When he peered into the room, he saw Deceit. "Deceit? What are you doing here?"

"Nothin- _everything_ clearly, Patton." 

Patton quickly set down the bowl of cookie dough and went to Deceit. He didn't sound right, his voice sounded strained and tight. Deceit also didn't let Patton see his face, so the father figure was sure that something was going on. 

"Deceit," Patton said as he entered the living room, "what's wrong?"

" _Everything_ , obviously." Deceit said. He started walking out of the room but he froze when Patton gently grabbed his wrist. 

"I can tell something's wrong, Dee. Tell me, please?" 

"No." 

Patton frowned, not liking how tense Deceit was. He gently dragged him to the couch, giving Deceit the option to push him away. He sat next to Deceit, "Now will you tell me what's wrong?" 

"Nothing is wrong, Patton," Deceit hissed. He finally looked at Patton. 

Patton's frown grew when he saw how red Deceit's eyes were. "You were crying." 

" _No_ , I _wasn't_." 

"Yeah, you were. Tell me?"

"No."

"It's better if you talk about it than keep it in, Dee." 

Deceit paused. "I'm _fine_." 

"I know we aren't the closest-"

"You all hate me." 

Patton glanced at the floor. The Sides really weren't fair all the time. 

"And of course I'm just Deceit, so I probably deserve it."

"You don't deserve it," Patton said. 

Deceit gave Patton an unconvinced look. 

"You- you try to... to keep Thomas alive in our- in our society, don't you? You tried to explain that he should put himself first."

"Society is an illusion made by those who run it." 

"Yeah, um- we don't need the lecture again, Dee." Patton glanced around the room. His eyes lit up when he pieced it together, "You're Thomas' self preservation."

Deceit shrugged, clearly uncomfortable. 

Patton knew that Deceit could make him silent right now, so he wasn't going to risk pushing him too far. "You're his self preservation and deception, like how Virge is his anxiety and fight or flight!" 

" _No_ ," Deceit said. 

"Wow, I didn't know that! Of course, I should have figured it out earlier... Oh my gosh, I-" Patton knew that Deceit would eventually make him quiet. 

"If you breathe a word of that _idea_ to anyone, I'll throw my Python on you." Deceit said and disappeared. 

Patton pulled his hand away as soon as he could and smiled. He got up and went back to baking. 

If Deceit didn't want anyone to know _that_ , he'd keep it between the two. He's not just going to dance around the house yelling about how Deceit is the self preservation. Patton wondered how the things like that kept on ending up in the Dark Area. 

"Probably because they identify as something worse," Patton muttered to himself. That was a bit concerning, but it's fine. He'll do what's right, he is Morality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, this isn't my best work :))


End file.
